Stolen Memories (Witness Protection #3) by Liz Johnson

Stolen Memories (Witness Protection #3) Reviews

• 
  Hannah

  This is so far my favorite of the series. Sometimes it's hard to write about amnesia without being cheesy, but Johnson pulled it off well. I'll definitely be reading more of Johnson's writing.
• 
  Angie Thompson

  I really enjoyed this book. Until the very end, the romance was very understated and it was kept in its proper place when more important things were happening. I really liked the fact that Zach and "Julie" were at least as attracted to each other's character as to their appearance, and even when they couldn't get each other out of their minds, their thoughts weren't bogged down in a deluge of physical details.
  
  I liked the way that "Julie's" true character showed beneath her amnesia and the way that Zach trusted her because of it, even when he had no tangible reason. I was slightly annoyed at some of the details that "Julie" was able to notice and name when she first came back to consciousness, but what I thought was carelessness on the author's part actually ended up playing into the details of the story, which impressed me a lot.
  
  My absolute favorite part of the book had to be Zach's siblings. I'm not exactly sure how it was done, but in a few very light strokes, the author managed to bring me into this family as if I had always known them. Even though their scenes were few and scattered, they didn't feel underdeveloped or barely-there. Tiny and completely natural details (Reese's hockey stick in the corner, Keaton's favorite spot on the couch) were enough to make me feel a part of their world, and I was left wanting more--not at all in a half-satisfied way, but in more of a "seconds, please!" way. Huge compliments to Liz Johnson on her masterful work with this book!
• 
  Sheila

  This is the best book in the series. The characters are great.
• 
  Paula Legate

  This was a beautiful love story with action and suspense. This book had all the emotions. I laughed, almost cried, and found myself smiling often throughout this book. I love this book series. Each book reads as a standalone. I think this has been my favorite of all the books so far.
• 
  Wendy Sparkes

  #3 Witness Protection Continuity.
  
  She woke up in the hospital with no memory of who she was or how she got there. She's been given the name Julie Thomas.
  
  Detective Zach Jones was 1st on scene at Thomas Park. He thought he had a homicide victim. But the victim was still breathing...just.
  
  Someone had wanted her dead though.
  
  That someone still wants her dead...and preferably before her memories return and she can tell someone about them.
  
  Who is Julie? What has she seen? And where is the baby Julie had in her arms on the security camera in the Park area the night she was attacked?
  
  A great continuation in the Witness Protection Continuity. I'm really enjoying this series, and this one is my top favourite so far. I found the amnesia side interesting ~ to lose your memory must be terrible, but to know you had care of a child that now can't be traced must be absolutely sickening.
  
  1.
  2.
  3.
  
  4.
  5.
  6.
  
  
  You really do need to read these books in order as each book, while a story on its own, also has a plot which runs & develops through all the 6 books, building up to the grand finale in book 6. This means that you will not only want to read this book, but also the other 5 in the series! So if you are looking for a one off story to read, then this is not the book for you. However, if you are short of reading material & want a series to get you going, then you might want to try out this series.
  
• 
  Cathy

  Oh my, how I loved this book! The characters are adorable! I love how they talked and interacted. The romance was so very sweet! This is a great series!!
• 
  Anna Marie

  Wow. This is one of the worst written LI Suspense novels I've read, yet. Shall we dig into why?
  
  Zach has been a homicide detective for 10 years, but the moment he finds 'Julie Thompson', he turns to mush. Um... no. If he were in homicide for 10 years, he would be used to dealing with beautiful women. More, if the dead body is alive? It's no longer a homicide - it wouldn't be his case, hello. Not in a city with as much homicide as Minneapolis.
  
  He spends THREE DAYS sitting at her bedside like a besotted fool (like he doesn't have other cases?) waiting for her to wake up (which... with a TBI, nobody knows *IF* she'll wake up). When she awakens, he asks for her name, and when she's got amnesia, he then tells her he'll do what he can to find out who she is.
  
  And how does he accomplish this? He IMMEDIATELY PUTS HER PICTURE IN THE PAPER. Hello, it's 2014 in this book (and when it's written) - they *DID* have facial recognition back then, and he could canvas the area, as well. And if a person has just been nearly killed, dragged into the bushes to be hidden, and lives? Putting their photo in the media is potentially like a death warrant. They wouldn't DO that - not without more information, first.
  
  Liz Johnson tells us they're searching for her fingerprints, but there's a backlog. You do know that with the computers in 2014, they don't HAVE a backlog - they can pull prints within hours? Same with background checks to buy guns. I know, my prints are on file (as an ex-bank teller), and I've purchased handguns, so waiting for checks is not like waiting for the IRS to send you your tax return, by the way. This whole thing is so deeply flawed...
  
  Zach's mom's best friend is a top reporter in Minneapolis. He has 'many family dinners' in which he 'discusses his cases with her'. Try not - the police are SUPPOSED to be careful what details are released to the press so that the integrity of the case isn't compromised. Liz Johnson doesn't really get into confidentiality much in her books, I take it?
  
  Zach says he trusts Julie because of 'the way she reaches out to hold onto something tangible when she's upset'. THAT's an indicator of a trustworthy person? Seriously?!?!?! What kind of cop IS this guy? He's coming off as moronic.
  
  On page 60 we're told that yes, she has amnesia, but 'the doctor says it's not permanent - he just doesn't know when it'll come back'. HOW THE HECK does he know it's not permanent??? He doesn't know that- brains are insanely tricky things, and bleeding can cause permanent damage within the brain. GAH!!!!
  
  Pg 68 - The 'look of trust' in her eyes (plural, even though one is swollen shut?) and the 'quickening of his heart every time he saw her' were 'indications that he was invested in solving this case'. Oh, is *THAT* how homicide works, then. Wow, I didn't know. So this happens with every case, then... because a good detective invests himself in solving his cases. (((shakes head)))
  
  Pg 70 - 'her red-rimmed eyes darted back and forth' - except one has been swollen 'like a strawberry' and red/black- seamed closed - until this moment. Which... HOW did it heal so quickly?
  
  When she wakes up in the hospital her arm feels 'three times its size' and she can't move it without searing pain. Yet 36 hours later, she's 'wrapping her arms around her stomach protectively'. What the farts...????!!!!
  
  I just couldn't. The characters are idiotic, the set-up is unbelievable, the faith limited to little 'how about that, God?' mental statement thingers spattered here and there, and shall we talk about the writing? Let's talk about the writing:
  
  "Serena and I have been keeping tabs on a man named Don Saunders... Don was arrested in connection to a murder and was being transported for questioning in police custody... but a couple of his buddies staged a car accident, and he escaped." Zach sucked in a harsh breath. Letting a suspect escape could shatter an officer's confidence. Being a cop was hard enough when everything was going right. But a man could drive himself crazy wondering what he could have done differently.
  
  ↑ ↑ ↑ WHAT THE SAM HILL IS THAT?!?!?! Other than a COMPLETELY unrelated rabbit trail that has NOTHING to do with the case? Zach would NEVER - as a person focused on details surrounding a crime - go down Wonderment Lane or whatever the *heck* that is to worry about an unnamed officer's confidence in the middle of Marshalls timelining an event, hello! And the cops didn't *let* the suspect escape - an unexpected car wreck falls out of the realm of personal responsibility, there.
  STUPID, stupid writing.
  
  I couldn't take anymore. DNF @73 pages.
  Enough is enough - there are too many of these out there.
  I'll find a better one.
• 
  Merle

  Lukewarm entry with lots of action. The baby-trafficking ring takes a dangerous leap here, leaving one woman for dead and taking the baby she was just "keeping" for a while. The baby's young mother left her in the hands of someone she trusted, then disappears; leaving the keeper to face the danger from the ring.
  Her amnesia is the central part of the story, along with the detective who finds, rescues and falls in love with her. There is a HEA but not for the baby.
• 
  Judine Brey

  The amnesia angle worked, but I didn't really buy the bad guy knowing "Julie" had lost her memory and still trying to eliminate her. Zach's rescue at the end was well drawn, and I liked how his relationship with Julie/Emma played out. That said, the timeline in the book didn't feel like it was accurate. Zach refers to weeks passing, but it only felt like days.
• 
  LaDonna Harris

  The best yet
  
  I'd almost given up on the series. It was good but it didn't fully hold my attention. I alms didn't read this one but needed a break from my non-fiction research. I'm so glad I did. I read it in one day. Well done! I'll be looking for more books by this author.
• 
  Joanie Bruce

  This book was well written, and I enjoyed traveling through the story with the characters.
  
  “Julie Thomas” has amnesia, and can’t remember why she was attacked or why a baby was stolen from her arms. Detective Zach Jones was sent to investigate a “dead body” in the park but instead found a young woman barely alive and with amnesia. His vow to protect “Julie” from the determined person trying to kill her lands both Zach and Julie in a situation where friendship tries to blossom into something stronger.
  
  What I liked: The characters seemed real, and you could feel their pain, their joy, and especially the tentative attraction they felt for each other. The suspense was also powerful in certain places and kept me turning pages.
  
  What I didn’t like: The ending was too abrupt, and the conclusion did not satisfy the horrible question of why the baby was stolen. Neither the baby nor the mother were ever found. I do not like stories that leave unanswered questions, so overall, I give this book four stars.
  
• 
  Dawn Leonard

  I enjoy Liz Johnson's books a lot. She tells well-crafted tales that keep you guessing with a perfect amount of faith and God included. The storyline and characters seem real and relatable. The story moves quickly making the book hard to put down.
  
  While I am enjoying the Witness Protection series and its multiple authors, Stolen Memories reminded me the downfall of that. This is the third book in the series. As a stand-alone, it is fine and would probably make you want to read the other books in the series. As a part of the series, some of the references to things that happened in The Baby Rescue by Margaret Daley were incorrect. I'm not sure why this wasn't caught in editing.
• 
  Haley

  This book was very disappointing. Very disappointing. It didn't have much to do with the mystery of the other two books either. The two main characters, well, I didn't like them much. The pretty much fell in love at first sight, but since she doesn't know who she is, they don't continue with a relationship. It was all predictable. Oh and the only reason I finished it was because it was in a series and I wanted the rest of the books to make sense.
• 
  Arylin

  I won this book in a Goodreads giveaway, this has in no way affected my review. Stolen Memories was an enjoyable read that was light on the drama and heavy on the plot. Normally drama annoys me because it is usually over done but that waan't the case in this book, the drama fit the story perfectly and was never over done. All in all, I recomend this enjoyable read to fans of suspence based romance.
• 
  Bonnie Drummond

  Stolen Memories book#3 of the Witness Protection Series by: Liz Johnson is a race against time for Detective Zach Jones to help a patient try to find her memories to help find a young mother and her baby from harm. Jones has to try and keep his heart from bracken from falling in love with Julie Thomas the patient and the same goes with her heart too. It takes her getting kidnapped and almost killed to finally find out that god has brought them together.
• 
  Arielle

  I probably would have given this a 3.5 if I could. It was an enjoyable short read to say the least. The plot was interesting enough but I felt like it could have used a little more something to add to it's intrigue. A lot of cliche throughout the book, in both the story line and characters, I usually don't mind a little bit though so it didn't bother me too much. Overall, I enjoyed it! :)
• 
  Harlequin Books

  "The reader can feel Julie's pain and anxiety associated with her amnesia, which allows a glimpse into her heart. The story is not rushed and keeps the reader engaged". (RT Book Reviews, rated 4 stars)
  
  Miniseries: Witness Protection
• 
  Jesus Beach Girl

  Book 3 in the Witness Protection series follows amnesiac Julie Thomas and Detective Zach Jones as they work with the US Marshal Service to locate the baby taken when she was attacked.
  
• 
  Ruth

  Lovin' this series!! anxious for the next one, Top Secret Identity by Sharon Dunn. You did an outstanding job, Liz!!!!
• 
  Harlequin Books

  received 4 stars from RT Book Reviews
  Miniseries: Witness Protection
• 
  Heather Lochridge

  I truly enjoyed this book. I loved the relationship between Julie and Zach.
• 
  Renea

  Review to come